Portable derrick



D. R. MOORE PORTABLE DERRI CK March 29, 1949.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2- Filed Feb. 19, 1946 I INVENTORI DEWE 1Q. M0085,

BYI

HIS ATTORNEY.

Patented Mar. 29, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PORTABLE DERRICKDewey R. Moore, Perry, Okla.

Application February 19, 1946, Serial No. 648,721

6 Claims. (01. 189-16) The present invention aims to provide a portablederrick whose chief component parts can be quickly and easily erectedand knocked down and collapsed for transportation safely over publichighways and re-erected at a new site.

One object of the invention is to so construct and arrange the varioussections that they can be easily and quickly assembled and dismantled,and compactly boxed for shipment.

Another object is to proportion the parts so that no section is too wideto be safely transported over public highways.

A further object is to provide a derrick comprising at least one lowercollapsible section having a unitary top section detachably securedthereto in end to end relation.

Another object is to provide a plurality of substantially pyramidalskeleton frame sections detachably connected together in end to endrelation and in which each skeleton section includes converging uprightlegs connected by cross members having separable joints or couplingsintermediate their ends and in which certain of the main components arehingedly connected to said legs to permit the parts to be folded orcollapsed to facilitate nesting or packing the subassemblies in compactunits for shipment by motor truck over public highways.

A further object is to construct and arrange the various component partsas shown and claimed in such manner that they individually andcollectively serve the functions herein set forth.

For a full understanding of the novel features, reference should be madeto the following description, the accompanying drawings, and theappended claims.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a preferred form of derrick embodyingthe invention.

Figure 2 is a rear elevation as viewed in the direction of the arrow 2of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front elevation as viewed in the direction of the arrow 3of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section on line IV-IV of Figure 3.

Figures 5 and 6 are views illustrating the collapsed or folded conditionof parts shown in Figure 4.

Figure '7 is a horizontal section on line VII- VII of Figure 3. 7

Referring in detail to the embodiment of the invention illustrated, theportable derrick comprises a unitary top section A of substantiallypyramidal conventional form for supporting the usual overhead sheaves 8,an intermediate lower collapsible section B and a bottom collapsiblesection C, adapted to be anchored at its lower end to a conventionalbase D which may be assumed to have associated therewith any standardform of rotary table such as usually used in the drilling of oil wells.

The unitary top section A includes four converging legs I'D, which asviewed in top plan, may be regarded as located at the corners of asquare or an oblong, thus the top section may be regarded as a one-piecepyramidal skeleton section. No novelty is claimed for the top section,except as it is combined with one or more lower collapsible or quickknock-downable sections such as B and C, to be presently described.

The intermediate section B is of novel construction and arrangement,especially adapted to facilitate quick erection, dismantling, and safetransport to a new site. This section B is generally of frusto-pyramidalform, and comprises four converging legs lo adapted to be detachablyconnected at-their upper extremities by joints I2, to the lowerextremities of the legs I'll of the top section A. The opposite sidesl4-i4 of the section B are duplicates, and each consists of a skeleton;panel frame including two converging legs "l and a plurality of sidecross members l6 constituting a set of such members. These members eachare split intermediate their ends dividing them into segments, forexample at the center planes 18, where they are provided with quickdetachable flange couplings 20 adapted to facilitate assembly anddisassembly. Suitable inclined struts 22 or ties, as shown, are providedto stiffen each panel. A set of rear cross members 24-24 are hingedlyconnected at 26-26 to the legs lo -40 and are provided with quickdetachable flange couplings 28 dividing them into segments to facilitateassembly and disassembly ofthe center section. Preferably diagonalstruts 29 connect rear cross members 24 to provide additionalreinforcement of the structure, as shown in Figure 2. Diagonal kneebraces 30 are pivoted at 32 to the segments of cross members It and aredetachably secured at 34 by removable bolts or pins to the segments ofcross members 25. The center section B, as thus constructed, can bequickly dismantled by uncoupling the joints at 20, 28 and 34, whereuponthe segments of cross members 24 can be swung or folded about the pivotpoints or hinges 26, as indicated by the arcs with arrowheads E, so asto collapse the four component parts of the center section to thecondition of Figures 4 and 5, the knee braces 30 being swung, asindicated by the arcs with arrowheads F, about their pivots 32 tooverlie the segments of cross members I6, as shown. Upright trusses 36,including upright members 31, cross members 38 and diagonal knee braces40 are pivoted at 42 to the members i 6 at the front, as shown in Figurel. The knee braces are detachably secured at 44 to the members 38, asshown. These parts can be collapsed or folded as indicated by the arcswith arrowheads G and H in Figure 4. Thus the component parts of eachpanel of the center section of the derrick can be collapsed into compactsubassembly and loaded on a truck for transportation to a new site andthere reassembled. It is seen that knee braces and rigidify the centersection of an erected derrick.

The bottom section C comprises converging legs la "which are joined attheir upper extremities by quick detachable couplings 46 to thecontiguous lower extremities of the legs lll Upright members 3'! oftruss 36 are similarly attached at the joint between sections B and C.Except for size, the component parts of the bottom section C aresubstantially identical with those of section B and are so shown, andthus further detailed description is unnecessary except to mention thatsuitable foot anchorages 50 at the lower ends of the legs l0 detachablysecure the derrick as a whole to any conventional base or foundationframe structure D of an oil well drilling rig.

The sections A, B and C are each about 42 feet high and the bottom ofsection A is about 8 feet square; thus the unitary section A can betransported readily when laid horizontally without seriously obstructingtrafilc over public highways. Since the base of section C is an oblongof about 14 feet by 16 feet and the base of section B is about 10 feetby 14 feet, it is apparent that such bulky structure could not be safelytransported by truck over public highways because of the lack oflateral'clearance for other passing vehicles. However, the problem ofsafe transportation over such highways is overcome by the adoption anduse of the herein disclosed and claimed invention.

Although I have specifically shown and described a preferredconstruction and arrangement of parts which an actual reduction topractice has demonstrated to be highly desirable, it is not to beconstrued that I am limited thereto, since I contemplate suchmodifications and substitutions of equivalents as may come within thescope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A structural section for portable derricks comprising a pair oflongitudinally extending front corner legs, a pair of longitudinallyextending rear corner legs, sets of side cross members connected to andextending between the front legs and the adjacent rear legs, a set ofrear cross members at longitudinal positions corresponding with thelongitudinal positions of said side cross members connected to andextending between the two rear legs, said side and rear cross membersbeing formed of segments detachably coupled intermediate their length,the segments of one set of cross members being hinged relative to thesegments of the other set of cross members, and brace means extendingacross the rear corner joints and detachably connecting contiguous,relatively hinged segments.

2. A structural section for portable derricks all) comprising a pair oflongitudinally extending front corner legs, a pair of longitudinallyextending rear corner legs, sets of side cross members connected to andextending between the front legs and the adjacent rear legs, a set ofrear cross members connected to and extending between the rear legs, thespace between the two front legs being open, said side and rear crossmembers being formed of segments detachably coupled intermediate theirlength, the segments of one set of cross members being hinged relativeto the segments of the other set of cross members, truss membersextending outwardly from said front legs, and corner brace membersconnected to the segments of the side and rear cross members and to thesegments of the side cross members and the truss members rigidifying thesection.

3. A structural section for portable derricks comprising a pair oflongitudinally extending front corner legs, a pair of longitudinallyextending rear corner legs, sets of side cross members connected to andextending between the front legs and the adjacent rear legs, a set ofrear cross members at longitudinal positions corresponding with thelongitudinal positions of said side cross members connected to andextending between the two rear legs, the space between the two frontlegs being open, said side and rear cross members being formed ofsegments detachably coupled intermediate their length, the

segments of one set of cross members being hinged relative to thesegments of the other set of side cross members, brace members extendingacross the rear corner joints and detachably connecting contiguous,relatively hinged segments, and truss members extending outwardly fromsaid front legs and being hinged relative to the segments of said sidecross members.

4. A portable derrick comprising a unitary top section including bracingmembers and converging corner legs defining a substantially pyramidalskeleton framework, a lower section including converging corner legsdetachably coupled to the corner legs of the top section, said lowersection having a set of rear cross members and two sets of side crossmembers secured to the corner legs thereof, each of said cross membershaving an intermediate separable joint dividing it into segments, thesegments of said set of rear cross members being hinged relative to thesegments of said sets of side cross members on axes longitudinal of saidcorner legs to facilitate collapsing the lower section for shipment, anddiagonal knee braces extending across the corner joints between therelatively hinged segments and being piv-' otally mounted on one of thesegments and detachably connected to the other.

5. A portable oil well derrick of great height comprising a unitary topsection and a plurality of knock-down lower sections of substantiallypyramidal skeleton form, each section including corner legs detachablycoupled to those of the adjacent section at their contiguousextremities, each of said lower sections having a set of rear crossmembers and two sets of side cross members attached to the corner legs,each of said cross members having a separable joint about midway betweenthe legs dividing the member into segments, the segments of said set ofrear cross members being hinged relative to the segments of said sets ofside cross members on axes longitudinal of said corner legs, and kneebraces extending across the corner joints between the relatively hingedsegments and being pivotally mounted on one of the segments anddetachably connected to the other.

6. In a portable derrick, top and lower sections having converging frontand rear corner legs and cross members joined to said corner legs, thecorner legs of one section being detachably coupled to those of theother, the cross members of said lower section being located at the twosides and the rear of the derrick, leaving the front open, and beingcomposed of detachably coupled segment-s hinged relative to each other,truss members extending outwardly from the front corner legs of thelower section and being hinged relative to the side cross members, andcorner brace members extending between and connected to the side andrear cross members and between the side cross members and the trussmembers rigidifying said lower section.

DEWEY R. MOORE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNl TED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 848,304 Hines Mar. 26, 19071,458,866 Wetzel June 12, 1923 2,215,920 Franks Sept. 24, 1940 152,335,584 Couse Nov. 30, 1943 2,340,351 Thornburg Feb. 1, 1944

